Water supply and dispensing apparatus



July 22, 1969 E. W. SCOTT WATER SUPPLY AND DISPENSING APPARATUS FiledFeb. 24. 19s? FIG.3. i i

3,456,847 WATER SUPPLY AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Eugene W. Scott,Columbus, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation,Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 24, 1967, Ser.No. 618,452 Int. Cl. B65d 35/28; B67d 5/62 US. Cl. 22295 6 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus having a collapsible, water-filledbag in an encasing shell container mounted in the lower portion of acabinet with the bag connected to a dispensing outlet located in theupper part of the cabinet, the shell including a movable wall to which aforce is applied to collapse the bag and force the water up to theoutlet in accordance with use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of the invention is the watercooler and dispensing art in which the water supply is drawn from areplaceable container located at the point of use.

Bottle water coolers in which the water supply bottle is mounted on topof the cooler in inverted position for gravity supply of the water arewidely used. There are some objections to allegedly unsanitaryconditions with the use of this type of cooler, as well as objectionsrelating tothe bottle handling problems and appearance. Some of theseobjections are obviated by locating the water bottle in the lower partof the cabinet and pumping the liquid up to the dispenser normallylocated in the upper part of the cabinet. Another type of cooler whichavoids some of the objections has a water supply which takes the form ofa cardboard carton encasing an inner collapsible bag filled with waterand in sealed relation to the atmosphere except for its outletconnection. US. Patent 3,060,703 illustrates such a water supply inconnection with a water cooler. However, in the arrangement thereillustrated the carton is placed on top of the cabinet to utilizegravity flow of the water to the cooling chamber and dispenser. Incontrast therewith, my arrangement provides for mounting the collapsiblebag container in the lower portion of the cabinet, and applyingsufficient force to the collapsible bag to create a pressure sufficientto elevate the water to the dispensing outlet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A water cooler according to the inventionincludes a cabinet having an upper and a lower portion with a waterdispensing valve in the upper portion of the cabinet, and a storagespace for a water supply container in the lower portion of the cabinet.The supply container includes an outer shell encasing an inner,collapsible bag containing the water. The shell has at least one wallmovable within the shell in a direction to collapse the bag and forcethe water through conduit means connecting the bag outlet to thedispensing valve. Finally, means are provided for applying a force tothe movable Wall of the container as mounted in the cabinet lowerportion so that the water in the bag is maintained under suflicientpressure to elevate the water to the dispensing valve for discharge upondemand. The means for applying the force to the movable wall collapsingbag may take various forms. In one form, for example, the movable wallof the container shell may overlie the collapsible bag with a Weightbeing applied to the movable wall to pressurize the water in the bag andeffect the bag collapse as water is withdrawn from the dispensing valve.In another form, the container is mounted so that spring nited StatesPatent O ice means can exert a force effecting relative movement betweenthe movable wall and the shell as the water is withdrawn to collapse thebag. By using a spring force or a gravity force to pressurize the watersufiiciently to permit its discharge from a higher elevation than thecontainer, an extremely simple and inexpensive arrangement is providedas contrasted to an arrangement using an electrically energized pump forelevating the water. Of course, the other advantages obtained from theuse of the flexible collapsible bag, such as cleanliness, are also had.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION FIGURE 1 is a side view of one example of a watercooler incorporating the invention and with one wall of the coolercabinet omitted to expose the interior of the cooler;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the lower part of the cabinet or cooler ofFIG. 1 with the front access door removed, and illustrating the watersupply container in a partially exhausted condition;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating anotherarrangement for applying force to the water supply; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view similar to FIGS. 1 and 3 illustratingstill another arrangement for applying force to the water supply.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The parts of the water coolerand dispensing system in the drawing which are generally conventionalare partly shown in diagrammatic form since their exact nature may varywithout departing from the invention. The cabinet illustrated is of agenerally rectangular-box shape and includes front wall 10, rear wall12, top wall 14, bottom wall 16, opposite side walls 18, and a frontaccess panel 20 which may be suitably mounted as by hinges to permitopening for access to the interior of the cabinet.

The basic parts of the refrigerating sysetm illustrated include thecompressor 22, condenser 24, expansion or capillary section 26,evaporator 28 in the form of lines wrapped about an enclosed watercooling chamber 30 and in heat exchange relation thereto, and a returnline 32 to the compressor.

The water supply container generally designated 34 may take the form ofan outer rectangular-boxshape casing 36. One wall 38 of the casing has arelatively large, centrally located opening 40. This apertured end wall38 is disposed at the bottom in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, and at the top in FIG.3. A false movable wall 42, generally coextensive in area with thecross-sectional area of the interior of the casing, is positioned insidethe casing 36 and flat against the apertured wall 38 so that it coversthe Opening 40.

The supply of water is held by a thin flexible wall, sealed, collapsiblebag 34 within the casing 36 and having a single outlet 46 extendingthrough a wall of the casing 36 in the end portion generally oppositethe end having the movable wall 42 initially. The collapsible bag may bemade of a water impervious material having suitable characteristics suchas polyethylene film. The casing 36 is preferably of a cheap, disposablecharacter, having adequate strength to withstand normal handling withthe water filled bag inside, such as corrugated cardboard orpaper-board.

The outlet tube 46 is connected through flow passage means to thedispenser. The means shown include a suitable detachable coupling 48between tube 46 and interior water line 50 which runs to the watercooling reservoir 52, and outlet line 54 connected to the dispensingvalve 56. i

It is contemplated that in accordance with the invention a force will beapplied to the movable Wall 42 in a direction to squeeze the collapsiblewater bag 44 with sufiicient force that the pressure created is adequateto elevate the water up into the cooling reservoir 52. It is alsocontemplated that to keep the arrangement simple and straight-forward,the force be applied through either gravity, or a spring arrangement, sothat there is no requirement for a pump or other powered equipment toraise the water.

The embodiments shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 illustrate arrangements usingspring force combined with the force of gravity to obtain the pressure.In FIG. 3, a gravity force alone is used to pressurize the bag.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the water supply container is mounted within thecabinet between a pair of top rails 58 and bottom rails 60 which maytake the form of angles as shown secured to the inner faces of theopposite side Walls 18 of the cabinet. A vertically disposed compressionspring 62 has its bottom end based upon the bottom Wall 16 of thecabinet and is aligned with the opening 40 in the apertured wall 38 ofthe casing so that when the container 34 is positioned properly withinthe cabinet, the top end of the compression spring bears up against themovable wall 4. The wall transmits this force to the collapsible bag andthe water therein. In FIG. 1 the spring 62 is shown in the substantiallycompressed form it has when a supply container full of water is newlyinserted. In FIG. 2, the spring is shown after it has completed abouthalf of its travel and half of the water has been forced out of thecontainer.

The function of the bottom rails 60 is to support the container while itis being inserted into the cabinet, while the function of the top rails58 is to provide a bearing surface for the top of the container toprevent its upward movement while the spring 62 is applying forceupwardly against the movable wall 42.

It may be desirable in some instances to provide special means forfacilitating the retraction of the compression spring 62 to a positionout of the way of the container during insertion. One form that this maytake may be a spring-centered cable attached at one end to the top ofthe spring and passing around a pulley near the bottom of the spring.Hence, by pulling upon the cable, the spring may be retracted to aposition permitting easy insertion of the water supply container.

The arrangement in FIG. 4 is similar to that of FIG. 1 in large degree,but in this instance a fixed pedestal 64 is provided with a top platform66 upon which the movable wall 42 seats. A pair of tension springs 68having their bottom ends secured to the cabinet base and their top endsdetachably secured to the container serve to pull the container downupon the pedestal. With this arrangement, both the weight of the water,and the force derived from the tension springs, work against thepedestal to pressurize the water within the bag. Since the containerwill move downwardly in the FIG. 4 arrangement, sufiicient length mustbe provided in the line leading to the cooling chamber to accommodatethe drop of the container as the water is dispensed.

In FIG. 3 a weight 70 is provided to bear against the movable wall 42.In this arrangement, the supply container is disposed with its aperturedwall 38 at the top, so that the weight 70 will force the wall 42downwardly. A cable 72 and pulley 74 are provided so that the weight maybe retracted to its top position after the supply container has beenexhausted and a new one to be inserted. If desired, the cable 74 may beattached to a hinged front access door so that when the door is opened,this movement automatically elevates the weight 70 and holds it up outof the way for the removal of the exhausted container and the insertionof the new water filled container.

Several points are deemed worthy of mention in connection with thediffering arrangements. In the FIG. 1

arrangement, it will be noted that when the compression spring 62 isretracted to its fullest extent, and therefore is capable of exertingits greatest upward force, this position corresponds to the containerbeing full and exerting the greatest counterforce against the spring. Aswater is exhausted, the Weight of the water bearing against the springdecreases, as well as the height to which the remaining water must beelevated progressively decreases as the container is progressivelyexhausted. The opposite situation prevails in the FIG. 4 arrangement inwhich as water is exhausted, and the spring force of the tension springdecreases, the remaining water must be elevated to progressively greaterheights. In the FIG. 3 arrangement the force exerted by the weight willremain the same at all positions, but as water is exhausted theremainder must be elevated to progressively greater heights.

While the preferred embodiments as now contemplated have beenillustrated, it will be appreciated that departures in detail from thatillustrated may be readily made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the inventive concept. For example, the concept does notrequire that the movable wall be disposed at the top or bottomnecessarily, but could within the scope of the concept be disposed atone side or another with the spring force being horizontally directed.The container may take a cylindrical shape. The movable end wall mayhave nonplanar forms providing advantages. The outlet of the collapsiblebag need only be in an end portion of the container as distinguishedfrom an end wall. Other differences in the general arrangement will alsosuggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A Water dispenser comprising:

a cabinet having an upper and a lower portion;

a water dispensing valve in the upper portion of said cabinet;

a water supply container adapted to be mounted in said lower portion ofsaid cabinet, said container including an outer shell encasing an inner,collapsible bag containing water and having a single opening onlytherein, said opening being in the top portion thereof and serving as anoutlet therefrom, said shell including at least one wall thereof movablerelative to said shell in a direction to collapse said bag, said shelland said bag being disposable as a whole after a single use thereof;

flow passage means connecting said bag outlet to said dispensing valve;and

means for applying force to effect said relative movement of said wallwith said shell as water is withdrawn to maintain said water in said bagunder sufficient pressure to elevate said water through said flowpassage means to at least the level of said dispensing valve fordischarge therefrom, said container being mounted in said cabinet lowerportion With said wall being located initially at the bottom of saidcontainer for upward movement of said wall relative to said shell.

2. A water dispenser according to claim 1 wherein:

said force applying means comprises spring means.

3. A dispenser according to claim 2 wherein;

said cabinet includes means for holding said casing in a stationaryposition; and

said spring means comprises compression spring means having one endbearing against said cabinet, and the other end bearing against saidwall.

4. A cooler according to claim 3 wherein:

said compression spring bears upwardly against said wall to force thewater up out of the container.

5. A water dispenser according to claim 1 wherein:

said cabinet includes an upwardly projecting pedestal in said lowerportion of said cabinet;

said container is mounted upon said pedestal with said wall restingthereupon; and

said force applying means is directed against said container to movesaid shell downwardly.

6. A water cooler comprising:

a cabinet having an upper and a lower portion; a water cooling chamberin said upper portion;

a water dispensing valve connected to receive water from said chamber;

a water supply container adapted to be mounted in said lower portion ofsaid cabinet, said container including an outer shell encasing an inner,collapsible bag containing water and having a single opening onlytherein, said opening being in the top portion thereof and serving as anoutlet therefrom, said shell including at least one wall thereof movablerelative to said shell in a direction to collapse said bag, said shelland said bag being disposable as a whole after a single use thereof;

conduit means connecting said bag outlet to said chamber;

a refrigerating system for cooling said chamber, includment of said wallwith said shell as water is withdrawn to maintain said water in said bagunder sufiicient pressure to elevate said water through said conduitmeans to at least the level of said chamber, said container beingmounted in said cabinet lower portion with said wall being locatedinitially at the bottom of said container for upward movement of SaidWall relative to said shell.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,243,084 5/1965 Stegner 222 -183X 55,151 5/1866 Neynaber 222 609,970 8/ 1898 Lochmann 222--385.51,772,111 8/1930 Rice 222-146 X 2,063,171 12/1936 Kucher 222146 X2,432,025 12/1947 Lorenz 22295 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner H.S. LANE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 222-146, 326

